Reel and cable brake



Nov. 29, 1949 P. J. PETERS 2,489,432

REEL AND CABLE BRAKE Filed Oct. 20, 1947 Inventor Peter J. Peters iatented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REEL AND CABLE BRAKE Peter J. Peters, Langley, Wash. Application October 20, 1947, Serial No. 780,865

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in what is believed to be novel brake means which, in use, serves to prevent backlash of cable windings on a reel, for instance, reeling means such as is employed in connection with hoisting machines, stump pullers and the like.

It is a matter of common knowledge that when a cable or the like is payed out rapidly from a reeling drum, centrifugal force will often loosen the windings and will promote lost motion during the initial stages of rewinding the cable on the reel. To minimize such backlash conditions friction brakes have been offered for use. In carrying out the principles of the present invention friction brake means has been adopted, and being of a structural character distinct in nature, constitutes the essence of the improvements herein specifically and otherwise under advisement. Briefly, in carrying out the principles of the present invention a suitable frame is provided and this is hingedly attached at one end to a relatively fixed shaft, carries a rubber friction brake roller which is in contact with the cable windings and embodies position setting and retaining means which is such in character as to impose the requisite braking contact against the cable windings.

Another object, structurally construed, has to do with a hingedly supported roller carrying frame provided with a detent which is engageable with keeper notches provided in a spring held member providing a contributory part of the overall improvements.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with a portion in section illustrating a reel and cable arrangement and supporting means therefor which means includes, as a part of same, the aforementioned backlash preventing means;-

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the brake roller and assembling yoke therefor.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, the reel or drum is generally denoted by the numeral 6 and this is mounted in uprights l on a base 8. The cable is denoted by the numeral 9 and is wound or reeled in the usual manner on the reeling drum. In the instant case a motor Ill is mounted on the base and operates a belt ll which drives the reeling drum. Additional uprights, in the form of angle irons l2 are attached to and rise from the base and these support a cross rod I3 which, in turn, is employed to support a hingedly mounted frame [4. The frame members, in the form of flexible limbs, are denoted by the numerals I5 and have eyes l6 rockably mounted on the cross-shaft I3. I provide adjusting and retaining collars I! held in place by set screws and the collars are mounted on the cross-shaft and coact with the eyes It to properly position and hold the frame 14 in place. There is a transverse connecting member 18 at the outer end of the frame members l5 and this is not only a connecting member but is also a keeper as well. In Figure 1 it will be seen that the frame structure includes a hand grip l9 which serves to raise and lower the frame [4 for purposes of selectively engaging the member l8 thereof with keeper seats or notches 2B in a retaining post 2|. The post is provided on its upper end with a hand grip 22 and just below the hand grip is provided with a shoulder 23 which serves as a rest when it is desired to lift the cross-piece I8 up to assume an out-of-theway position. The post is provided at its lower end with a fork arrangement 24 (see Figure 3) and the fork members 25 are pivotally connected with angle brackets 26 attached to the base 8. A coiled spring 21 is also provided and this is anchored on the base 8 and is attached at its opposite end to the post 2|. Hence, the spring tends to pull the vertical post in a direction from right to left and allows the post to be rocked by hand in a direction to easily disengage the keeper member I8 from the keeper notches for purposes of making elevational adjustments of the frame I4.

The frame carries the friction brake roller 28. This is a rubber unit and is horizontally disposed and is mounted in a yoke 29 which in turn is suitably fastened and suspended on the median portions of the frame members 15. It follows that the brake roller is carried by the frame and the frame is hingedly mounted and is connected with suitable retaining means. The frame is therefore liftable and lowerable on the pivot means as shown and when raised to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 the braking roller is then free of frictional contact with the windings of the cable. By swinging the frame down and bringing the roller into contact with the windings it is obvious that frictional pressure is exerted upon the latter and as the cable is payed out, the windings are kept under tension and are prevented from loosening up and expanding unnecessarily under action of centrifugal forces.

The invention may be interpreted as a cable brake, a reel or drum brake, or a brake which in effect produces the necessary drag and effect on both cable and drum,

A careful consideration of the; foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader, to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sum-- cient to clarify the construction of the invention as herein-after claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size,,materi:%1s and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimedasnew is:

1. In a structure of the class described, a relatlvely fixed support, a drum mounted for rotation on said support, a cable wound foruse on said drum, a yoke, a brake roller of compressible material mounted for idling in said yoke, a flexible frame, means for mounting said frame on said support, said yoke being mounted on said frame, said frame embodying a keeper, and tiltable spring held means on said support with which that keeper is selectively engageable.

2. In a structure of the class described, a relatively fixed support, a drum mounted for rotation on said support, a cable-wound for use on said drum, a yoke, a brake-roller of compressible material mounted for idling in said yoke, a frame, means for mounting said frame on said support, said yoke being mounted on said frame, said frame embodying a keeper, and means on said support with which said keeper is selectively engageable, said means embodying an adjustable post having notches forming keeper seats withwhich said keeper has releasable and connectable association.

3. In a structure of the classdescribed, a support embodying a base, a reel mounted on said base, a cable wound on said reel, means for driving said reel, uprights onsaid support, a crossshaft on said uprights, a frame structurehinged ly mounted on said cross-shaft, a post on saidsupporthavingkeeper notches, said frame memher having a cross-piece forming a keeper and said keeper being releasably engageable, With saidnotches, and a rubber braking roller mounted on said frameand engageable with the convoluat one end of the base, the post at the opposite end of the base and said drum between the uprights and post, said post having keeper notches, a spring attached to the base and post for holding the post in a predetermined position in relation to the base and drum, a horizontally disposed braking frame hingedly mounted between the uprights, said frame extending in a plane above the top of the drum, and keeper means carried by the free-swingable end of the frame and engageable with keeper notches.

5. The structure specified in claim 4, together with a handle on the free swingable end of the frame, and, a separate and independently operable handle on the upper end of said post.

6; The structure specified in claim 4, said frame being longitudinally.- flexible, and a compressible friction-type braking roller carried by the intermediate portion of the frame and situated directly above the drum for coaction with cable adapted to. be: wound. on. said drum.

7. In a reel: and. cable brake construction of the class shown and described, a relatively fixed; supportincluding a horizontal base, uprights at tached to and rising vertically from one end portion of the base, a cross-shaft mounted. between. the upper ends. of the uprights parallel to the base, a horizontally disposed cable winding, drum mounted for rotation. on the base, a vertically. disposable post. hingedly mounted at its. lower end of the base, said post: having keeper notches, a tensioning spring connected to the post at one end and to the base at the opposite end, a horizontally disposed frameabove thedrum and pivotally connected at one end with said cross shaft, theopposite end: of said frame having a keeper. member, said keeper member'being-releasably en-- gageable with said keeper notches, and a braking roller mounted transversely on the intermediate portion of said frame and above said frame.

8. The structure specified in claim '7, said frame embodying longitudinal frame members and said frame members being flexible.

9. The structure specified in claim 7, said frame embodying longitudinal frame members and said frame members being flexible, said post being provided at its upper end with a hand grip, and said keepermember being a separate hand grip.

PETER J. PETERS.

REFERENGES CITED The following. references are of. record inthe filev of this patent;

UNITED STATES; PATENTS Number Name Date 857,150 Blake June 18, 1907 1,807,274 Beidler May, 26, 19,31 925,580 Anderson Sept. 5, 1933. 2,252,419 Slaughter Aug, 12, 1941' 2,391,172 Leland Dec. 18, 1945 2,416,585 Holub Feb. 25,.1947 

